Although they launched back in April in the US, they’ve just hit Australian shores for the asking price of $165. They performed fairly well in the A2DP Battlemodo back in September, so if you’re after a pair of reasonably priced, funky looking Bluetooth headphones, these might be a good option for you.

[Jabra]

About a month ago, Jabra sent a little bag out to its regular reviewers. Inside was a stone—a literal, polished stone—and that was it. It was a cheesy PR stunt, the kind we see all the time, but when I got the headset itself, it made sense. The Jabra Stone, when docked, is a near-seamless pebble, broken only underneath, at the headset’s hollowed-out ejection point. It’s a stunning headset, actually, which sounds weird coming out of my mouth. (Or fingers! Who’s counting.)

The Stone’s specs are appropriate to its pricepoint: it’ll pair in regular and A2DP modes for voice or music listening, respectively, has a minimalist status display, a noise-cancelling mic, volume controls—though here they’re managed with a touch-sensitive shell rather than buttons—and a charging dock. The claimed talk time is two hours per charge, and the dock is good for three extra charges. Standby time is a respectable, though not spectacular, 12 hours.

And to be honest, aside from eking out a little extra battery life over competitors’ products, there’s not a whole lot a company can do to make a Bluetooth headset technologically interesting. What they can do, and what Jabra has done with the Stone, is focus on style and feel. Bluetooth headsets look dumb, and they’re awkward to wear. The Stone is a headset designed with these thoughts in mind—it looks as not-dumb as a headset can; it feels as not-awkward as a piece of plastic in your ear conceivably could. It’s self-conscious, almost embarrassed for what it is.

Long-term testing might bear out some initial concerns about battery life and the practical convenience of carrying around a slippery little battery rock, but my first impressions were uniformly positive. The Stone paired almost instantly with an iPhone, a Pre and a Hero right out of the box, sound quality was clear, and three ears of varying shapes and sizes found the angled earpiece plenty comfortable.

The Stone will be available at AT&T stores from November 8th, priced at $US130 right alongside the Platronics Voyager. From the looks of it the Voyager edges out a win on battery life, but the fact that Jabra’s put even the tiniest bit of sex into their newest piece goes a long, long way. [Jabra]

The Problem

Honestly, there are plenty of reasons to be uneasy about Bluetooth headphones: They run off battery power, so you need to be mindful of keeping them charged; they’re often styled strangely to accommodate the necessary wireless hardware; they’re more expensive than equivalent wired headphones; and most of all, they sound like crap. Or, so you’ve heard. You know, from other people, not with your ears. The colloquial “heard.” Er, you know what I mean.

Perhaps even more than choosing the best Bluetooth headphones, the point of this little exercise is to figure out if A2DP, the technology, is even worth your time. After all, it isn’t really worth going to the trouble and expense of untethering your headphones if they barely qualify as headphones. So first, some background:

The Advanced Audio Distribution Profile, or A2DP, is an umbrella term for the modern Bluetooth audio profile, meaning the standards by which Bluetooth devices send a receive audio. It complements the Headset Profile (HSP), which takes care of low-quality mono transmissions, like those to single-ear Bluetooth headsets, to provide the capability to listen to music without too much distortion. And that’s the crux of the A2DP problem, both real and perceived: It’s better than mono Bluetooth, to be sure, but is it as good as a wired headset? Or more realistically, is it close enough that it doesn’t really matter?

Since A2DP audio is encoded and recompressed at the source, leading to (sometimes drastically) differing audio quality betwen devices, I paired a number of sources—an iPhone 3G, an HTC Hero, a unibody Macbook Pro—with a veritable stack of headphones to see if the end result, the sound that actually hits your ears, is worth the trouble. Here are the best five:

The Headphones

(Click the chart to enlarge)

Sony DR-BT50: The only cup-style headphones included in this roundup, the Sonys serve as a sort of reference for sound quality, features, fit and comfort. Also: impracticality. If you’re planning on using a Bluetooth headphones as they’re generally understood to be intended, you’re probably not looking for bulbous headhuggers like this.

That said! They’ve got by far the bassiest, clearest sound of the lot, and the included controls, though they can take a while for your fingers to map out, are more complete than any others. Using these headphones is a joy compared to most others, but only in a situations where they’re appropriate: Sitting on a sofa? At a PC? I don’t really know. Whatever they’re meant for, the lack of a USB charger corroborates the theory that they’re not really intended to be that portable.

Far and away the best, most balanced sound; moderate noise isolation

Wider set of controls than any other headphones, but probably more than you need, or your handset even supports

They’re too big to exercise or travel with

Motorola Motorokr s305: Something about this headset is immediately alarming. It feels cheap, it comes with very few accessories, it even looks a bit dated — it sort of feels like you’ve accidentally been handed a stray accessory, dropped out of a Motorola Rokr box, yearning to be reconnected to its parent phone. But seriously, give it a minute.

You could find plenty of things to complain about with the s305s, but hell, I just don’t want to: With these cheap, stripped-down headphones, Motorola shows that they understand the draw of A2DP better than anyone else. They sound fine—solid mids, relatively clear highs, adequate bass — without sounding overequalised; their fixed fit works well enough on most heads, without sacrificing weight or durability; they connect with ease and offer minimal, though adequate, controls; they charge quickly via USB, for a playback period that’ll outlast any workout session. And most of all, they’re very, very cheap.

Minimalist: easy to use and set up

They’re gloriously cheap

It feels light in the hand and on the head; it also feels a bit flimsy

Jabra Halo: Nobody’s going to dispute the Halo’s stylishness, especially in this company — most of these headphones looks like they were designed in the late 90s (Why? No really — this doesn’t make any sense) and many come in form-factors I haven’t seen since I carried a Discman. For what it’s worth, the Jabra’s matte black, ultra-thin headband take on Bluetoothery is eye-catching, and there’s nothing expressly wrong with it.

Nor is there anything terribly wrong with the sound: It’s abundantly clear, though not very bassy — something that could be pegged as much on the sometimes awkward fit of the Halo’s earpads as on their actual drivers. I had the most pairing issues with the Halo, but they all mysteriously resolved themselves eventually — par for the course with Bluetooth, and less of a concern than you might think, since one they’re paired to a device, they’re paired to a device. Controls, aside from volume, which relies on a jumpy touchpad on the earpiece, were simple and intuitive. The price, I guess, is the only real kick in the balls from Jabra’s headphones: The street price is a hefty $US120.

HEADPHONES FROM SPAAAAAAAAACE

They’re comfortable, and it’s easy to forget you’re wearing them

Too expensive for what you get

Logitech Freepulse: Logitech’s gone all-out with the Freepulse, and you’d be hard pressed to find a hardware feature—aside from USB charging—that these things don’t list on their spec sheet. They’ve got by far the most versatile Bluetooth transmitter, meaning that they can be paired with just about any device comfortably. Controls are subtly built into the earpieces, but once they’ve been explored, they’re easy to reach and utilise during exercise.

I found the fit to be a bit strange, since these particular headphones, despite looking like a traditional wraparound headset, actually hang on your ears by means of floppy little rubber loops. They’re secure enough, sure, but they don’t exactly cram the drivers against your ear holes; hence lack of great bass. Oh and hey, no mic! These things aren’t cheap, so, uh, what the hell?

Best Bluetooth transmitter of the bunch—fits just about any device

They fit everyone fine, but nobody particularly well

At this price, where’s the mic?

iLuv i222: In a lot of ways, the i222 is a cheaper, newer equivalent to the Freepulse: Its design looks newer, albeit a little Bluetooth-headset-y, its feature set matches the Logitech’s almost point for point, and, crucially, it has a mic, because almost every A2DP-enabled playback device is, let’s face it, a phone.

Interestingly, the iLuv’s battery life trumped even the most expensive headphones in my limited testing. My main cause for concern is a generally plasticky feeling: I can already see multiple areas of concern on the headset, and online reports go some way to confirming my worries about durability.

Tons of features for the price, including a Bluetooth transmitter

Build quality is a concern

Post-Game

If all these evaluations sound a little bit tentative, that’s because they are. Each headset evaluation was underscored by a fundamental discomfort with A2DP because, well, it’s not that good.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s better than I expected, and a far sight better than you might predict if you were weaned on Bluetooth earpieces. But the sound is flat, lacking in bass range and sacrificing detail on higher tones. And even if these headphones are specifically tuned for playing back Bluetooth streams, the few that include direct line-in support, like the Jabra Halo, give you a ready-made comparison between wireless and wired sound. Spoiler: It isn’t all that flattering for the ol’ toof.

This casts A2DP headphones in a different light, not as a viable, wireless, futuristic alternative to regular headphones, but as a degraded, battery-hungry, expensive compromise. You buy them because you need something wireless — that’s it. There’s no other reason.

The Winner

As such, the headset I’m most comfortable telling people to buy is also the cheapest. There will be people who’ll want something else—the Sonys are the best bet for, say, a PC gamer, and the iLuvs are an obvious choice if your music-listening devices don’t actually support Bluetooth. But more than anything, I see A2DP headsets as a way to listen to music during a run, or on cable-averse exercise machines, as a way to listen to a charging device while you wander around a room, or as a way to merge your everpresent Bluetooth headset with your earbuds.
For this, the Motorola s305s fit the bill: They’re light, functional and simple. They sound fine. They look OK. They sync with almost anything. They win because they do as much as you can ask of Bluetooth headphones, and they do it on the cheap.

The 6400 has a standard Bluetooth range and looks exactly like a Bluetooth headset from Jabra, whereas the 9400 looks like a receptionist’s headset that you can take around your house at up to a 450-foot range.

They both have dual-microphones for noise cancelation and both have the touchscreen to quickly switch between a mobile phone, VoIP or landline connections. Both will be available later in the year for $US200 each. [Slashgear]

There’s not much difference in thickness from the earphones to the headband and there’s only one noticeable button (the volume uses a capacitive touch strip. They don’t foldup in the most graceful manner, but they don’t feel like they’ll break either. As for sound quality, Jabra wasn’t demoing the tech, but being as small as they are, I wouldn’t expect Sennheiser quality here.

The NOISE BLACKOUT feature on the JABRA HALO STEREO BLUETOOTH HEADSET allows you to vanish

loud patrons

around you, so you can communicate effectively while impressing cleverly. The headset warmly embraces Bluetooth 2.0/A2DP for most excellent music listening, and features touch controls so you can easily express salutations to others or explore the variety of your music library.

The lightweight folding design means you can also take these on the go, so you can easily impress cleverly from anywhere. If you’re not clever enough for a wire-free experience, you can use a cord, though maximum impressiveness may decrease.

My proposition to you is for you to give me your bank info, so I can pull $US130 dollars from your account, give it to Jabra, and I can deliver to you your very own JABRA HALO STEREO BLUETOOTH HEADSET so you can impress cleverly.

Jabra HALO stereo headset featuring Noise Blackout™ technology (MSRP: $129.99; Available: May 2009)

The Jabra HALO is a wireless Bluetooth stereo headset that allows users to enjoy wireless music and answer phone calls in crystal clear stereo sound. Featuring A2DP technology, the Jabra HALO gives users the ability to seamlessly connect to any Bluetooth music-playing device – and all 3.5 mm music playing devices – including mobile phones, Mp3 players, laptops, and TVs. In addition, ensuring that users won’t miss phone calls while listening to music, the HALO fades out music to allow for incoming calls. The HALO features a lightweight (only 3 ounces!) over-the-head design with a foldable headband – small enough to take it wherever you go. The HALO also has the versatility to switch between wireless and wired connectivity if a device doesn’t support Bluetooth stereo (A2DP) technology. The device also features Zirene® Power Bass for audio enhancement.

Still, if it does survive the baptism of alcohol Melbourne Cup will give it, the BT530 USB looks pretty good – it features two microphones to drown out all ambient noise, weighs just 10 grams, and comes with a USB plug that allows you to pair the headset not just with your mobile phone, but also your PC for VoIP calls as well. It measures in at 48 mm x 18 mm x 12.5 mm, has a talk time of 5.5 hours and standby of 250 hours, and costs $218.90.

Racing silence from any Cup party with the Jabra BT530 USB

New Noise Blackout™ technology provides stylish audio quality with wireless earpiece

Australia, 27 October 2008 – Just in time for the Melbourne racing carnival, the stylish new Jabra BT530 with Noise Blackout™ will allow online access to the latest track conditions and quiet conversations with your book-maker while attending the loudest Cup luncheon and logging onto the bookmaker.

The small, blue-tooth cordless earpiece is an elegant fashion accessory, which is useful as well as handsome. The new generation noise cancellation technology will eradicate ambient sound while men and women make thousands of calls from the betting ring. The quality is as good as a landline and/or mobile phone and it has 5.5 hours of talk-time and 250 hours of standby time.

Next generation in noise cancellation technology:
Exclusively developed by GN Netcom, Noise Blackout™ uses dual microphones to capture sound while intelligently filtering background noise to offer premium audio quality. Sound is innovatively balanced to block out background noise, leaving both sides of the call with a natural sounding voice quality that’s second to none. This is achieved using advanced DSP technology and Audio Shock Protection to monitor incoming audio volume.

“This is the only noise cancelling blue-tooth headset on the market around the $200 pricepoint,” said Victor Guerrero, regional managing director GN Netcom ANZ. “It comes with a small USB port which fits onto a computer, and can then allow skype and VoIP calls.

“Of course, after Cup day it is much more useful than a hat! To recoup any losses or invest any wins made at the track, the BT530 will help make the return to work much more comfortable. And you can still answer the phone from the kitchen if it is within 70 metres of your computer using the USB connectors.

“Busy people who are tired from a big day out, need effortless technology and the Jabra BT530 has auto-pair technology, is intuitive and user-friendly.”

The Jabra BT530 is light and comfortable to wear and comes with a selection of six Jabra Eargels™ (an innovative device that enables the headset to sit in your ear) and a removable ear hook allowing you to wear the headset throughout the day. Attractive, but unassuming, it features a stylish mesh strip detail that runs along its sophisticated curved form, demonstrating an understated style.

Key Specifications of the Jabra BT530:
· Noise Blackout™ technology
· Dual mic
· Auto-pairing
· Multipoint
· A2DP & DSP
· Acoustic Shock Protection
· Up to 5½ hours talk time
· 250 hours standby time
· 10 metre range connected to a mobile phone
· 70 metre range when using the USB adoptor from the computer)
· 6 ear gels, 1 ear hook provided for added comfort
· Size: L 48 mm x W 18 mm x D 12.5 mm
· 10 grams in weight
· Micro USB Charger Connection
· Qualified for Bluetooth Specification version 2.0 EDR (enhanced data rate) & eSCO

RRP: The headset combined with USB costs $218.90 or just $199 exc GST.
Available: To order of find out your nearest reseller, call 24/7 Distribution on 1-300 878 463 or Westcon Group on 1-800 646 112 or visit www.jabra.com.au under “Where to Buy”

NZ: NZ local price is $NZ229 plus GST. To find out your nearest NZ reseller, call Cackle Telecommunications on NZ 09 368 5639.

About GN
Through its Jabra brand, GN Netcom is a world leader in innovative headset solutions. With around 1,200 employees and sales offices around the world, GN Netcom develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of wireless headsets for mobile users and both wireless and corded headsets for contact centre and office-based users. GN Netcom’s business activities also include its original equipment manufacturing (OEM) business. GN Netcom is a subsidiary of GN Store Nord A/S.

[Jabra]

Fortunately, the M5390 also offers the ability to connect to a couple of devices at the same time, like a PC or office phone, without being a double douche. And with six hours talktime, 60 hours standby, and weighing just 18 grams, you get twice as much connectivity without sacrificing too much. It costs $389.

M5390 Multiuse First Bluetooth Headset Providing 70 Metres of Wireless Range

The Jabra M5390 connects seamlessly to desk phones, IP telephony and mobile phones

Sydney (October 2008) – GN Jabra, the world leader in innovative headset solutions, launched the M5390, a Bluetooth headset that can simultaneously connect to two communications devices such as a mobile phone, a desk phone or a PC softphone, giving users the flexibility and freedom to use one simple headset.

The M5390 is breaking new ground by providing users with a range of 70 metres, which enables users to walk freely in and around the office and still be in contact. It is ideal for busy office-based professionals who use several forms of communications but want to avoid the hassle of using multiple devices.

“On the go professionals are demanding further mobility within their working environment to perform more effectively and efficiently,” explained Victor Guerrero, Regional Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand. “With a multiuse headset, users have more freedom to move inside and outside the office, they save time on swapping between different devices which increases productivity and mobility.”

It is designed with the office user in mind and guarantees clear and concise audio quality thanks to the inbuilt DSP noise canceling technology. It also features the eSCO Bluetooth audio link, wideband sound and the extended boom arm, which places the microphone closer to the user’s mouth.

Through the accompanying Jabra A335w Bluetooth Dongle, the M5390 works plug-and-play with a wide range of PC-based softphones such as Microsoft Communicator 2007, Cisco and Skype. The M5390 is also compatible with most desk phone systems and can instantly connect to any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone.

All call handling is controlled via the headset enabling the user to answer, end and put on hold voice calls. It has a talk time of up to six hours, a standby time of up to 60 hours and weighs just 18g.

Key features:

Jabra M5390 Multiuse headset:
• Bluetooth 2.0 specifications
• Operating range of up 70 metres
• Up to 6 hours talktime
• Up to 60 hours of standby time
• Weight: 18g
• Dimensions: 118mm x 15mm
• Digital sound enhancement via DSP technology/eSCO Bluetooth audio link

Jabra M5390 Multiuse base
• Bluetooth 2.0 specifications
• Operating range of up to 70 metres
• Weight: 138g
• Dimensions: 92mm x51mm
• Digital sound enhancement via DSP technology/eSCO Bluetooth audio link

Jabra A335w Multiuse Dongle
• Bluetooth 2.0 specifications
• Operating range of up to 70 metres
• Digital sound enhancement via DSP technology/ESCO Bluetooth audio link
• Dimensions: 52 x 19 x 9 mm

RRP: $389 including GST

Available: The M5390 is available for consumer purchase through the Westcon Group and 24/7 Distribution.

[Jabra]